Podcasts about it's him

November 9, 2023Today's Reading: Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 21:1-23, Matthew 16:1-12“An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” So he left them and departed.” (Matthew 16:4)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Jesus tells the Pharisees that there will be no sign except the sign of Jonah, His death and Resurrection.  Then He rebukes the disciples because they do not remember the signs given to them in the feeding of the 5000.  One side gets yelled at for wanting more signs.  The other gets yelled at for not expecting to see more.  Thanks, Jesus. The Pharisees and the disciples have the same problem.  They take their eyes off of Jesus.  The Pharisees only want signs, not what they point to, God made man to die for sinners.  They want appetizers, but not dinner.  The disciples don't expect signs, because they overlook the simple idea that God will care for them, even though He was made man to die for sinners. They sit at the table and are shocked there's actually food there. I shouldn't write reflections when I'm hungry.  Or I'll just pretend to be like Jesus and insist I'm not actually talking about food, either. In all reality, when it comes to miracles we usually set our hearts in the wrong places too.  We want a vending machine God who only gives us the things we ask Him for, and could care less about what He actually wills.  We seek miracles that prove He's real when the greatest miracle of all towers over us, not just as a sign, but as salvation.  He dies and rises from the grave.  The sign of Jonah is death and resurrection. It is a historically verifiable miracle, proof that Jesus is God, who has saved you.  The sign of Jonah is what we cling to in doubt and fear. It's what we cling to for forgiveness for seeking the leaven of the Pharisees and for not seeing the goodness God daily bestows upon us in ways we just overlook.  Look to the cross, where Jesus died for you. It isn't just Him proving Himself right to those who are wrong. It's Him winning salvation for them, for us, for you.  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Faithful cross, true sign of triumph, Be for all the noblest tree; None in foliage, none in blossom, None in fruit thine equal be; Symbol of the world's redemption, For the weight that hung on thee (LSB 454:4)- Pastor Harrison Goodman is content executive for Higher Things.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, Ky.Study Christ's words on the cross to see how you can show more Christlike grace in your life. Perfect for group or individual study, each chapter has a Q&A at the end, and the back of the book includes a leader guide. Available now from Concordia Publishing House.

Dustin Peterson is the founder and president of Proof Leadership Group, a leadership consultancy that works with organizations to train leaders and help develop their company culture. He is also the author of three books—Find Your Fit, Talented, and Reset—and coaches individuals to help them get unstuck in their careers. He currently serves as the stake president in the Friendswood Texas Stake and has served as a branch president, stake presidency counselor, and counselor in the Texas Houston South Mission. He lives in Houston with his wife and four children and loves bacon and Dallas sports teams. Links Article: Elevate your next sacrament meeting talk with a few easy tips Self-assessment in Teaching in the Savior's Way Self-assessment in Preach My Gospel DustinPeterson.org ProofLeadership.com Previous podcast interviews: —Clarifying Purpose to Guide Your Calling, Work, & Family Life | An Interview with Dustin Peterson —Leading‎‎‏‏‎ ‎with Your God-Given Talents | An Interview with Dustin Peterson Dustin's books: —Find Your Fit: Three Steps to Choosing a Best-Fit College Major and Career —Talented : Discovering and Using Your God-given Talents to Find More Joy in Life —Reset: How to Get Paid and Love What You Do There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts HERE. Watch on YouTube Transcript coming soon Scriptures referenced in this podcast: Doctrine & Covenants 84:106 Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library Highlights 02:00 Kurt introduces Dustin and this episode's topic of the law of the lid. 04:00 Dustin talks about his journey in leadership the last few years. He shares what it was like to serve as a counselor to a mission president and his responsibilities. 07:30 Getting called as stake president, which is his current calling 9:50 Finding balance with work and being stake president 11:15 The law of the lid. The organization will rise no higher than the effectiveness of its leadership. If you aren't getting leadership training then you will become the lid to that organization's growth. 14:00 The hardest person that you will have to lead is yourself. Focus on how you can grow, not the other people in your organization. How can you be more effective? 16:00 The law of the lid trickles down to every individual. A family can rise no higher than the effectiveness of the parents. The individual will rise no higher than their own personal effectiveness. If we are not improving then we are flatlining. 17:00 How can we begin to apply the law of the lid? Dustin shares an experience he had as a branch president trying to solve everyone's problems when they weren't his to solve. Christ solves the problem. When leaders think that it's up to them to solve people's problems then they are the lid. The Savior is the only one that doesn't have a lid. 20:40 As leaders we have to point people to the Savior. Oftentimes we point people to the mechanism or the vehicle that is going to help them heal. Things like: prayer, scriptures, and the temple. It's not actually those things that bring healing. It's Him that is going to heal not the vehicle. We do all those things to hear Him. 22:30 Talk to God about your problems; only He can solve them. It's not the job of the leader to solve problems. Leaders are to point people to the Savior in order to receive His power and grace. 25:00 People oftentimes know the answer to their problems but they just need someone to talk to and someone to support and lift them. Leaders can ask questions like: What promptings have you received? How do you think you can solve this problem? 26:40 Besides pointing people to the Savior, it's important to develop our personal effectiveness as leaders. Dustin shares some ways that we can do this. 31:00 Dustin shares some examples of how he, as a stake president with his high council, have tried to develop their personal effectiveness and raise the lid in their stake....

Dustin Peterson is the founder and president of Proof Leadership Group, a leadership consultancy that works with organizations to train leaders and help develop their company culture. He is also the author of three books—Find Your Fit, Talented, and Reset—and coaches individuals to help them get unstuck in their careers. He currently serves as the stake president in the Friendswood Texas Stake and has served as a branch president, stake presidency counselor, and counselor in the Texas Houston South Mission. He lives in Houston with his wife and four children and loves bacon and Dallas sports teams. Links Article: Elevate your next sacrament meeting talk with a few easy tips Self-assessment in Teaching in the Savior's Way Self-assessment in Preach My Gospel DustinPeterson.org ProofLeadership.com Previous podcast interviews: —Clarifying Purpose to Guide Your Calling, Work, & Family Life | An Interview with Dustin Peterson —Leading‎‎‏‏‎ ‎with Your God-Given Talents | An Interview with Dustin Peterson Dustin's books: —Find Your Fit: Three Steps to Choosing a Best-Fit College Major and Career —Talented : Discovering and Using Your God-given Talents to Find More Joy in Life —Reset: How to Get Paid and Love What You Do There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts HERE. Watch on YouTube Transcript coming soon Scriptures referenced in this podcast: Doctrine & Covenants 84:106 Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library Highlights 02:00 Kurt introduces Dustin and this episode's topic of the law of the lid. 04:00 Dustin talks about his journey in leadership the last few years. He shares what it was like to serve as a counselor to a mission president and his responsibilities. 07:30 Getting called as stake president, which is his current calling 9:50 Finding balance with work and being stake president 11:15 The law of the lid. The organization will rise no higher than the effectiveness of its leadership. If you aren't getting leadership training then you will become the lid to that organization's growth. 14:00 The hardest person that you will have to lead is yourself. Focus on how you can grow, not the other people in your organization. How can you be more effective? 16:00 The law of the lid trickles down to every individual. A family can rise no higher than the effectiveness of the parents. The individual will rise no higher than their own personal effectiveness. If we are not improving then we are flatlining. 17:00 How can we begin to apply the law of the lid? Dustin shares an experience he had as a branch president trying to solve everyone's problems when they weren't his to solve. Christ solves the problem. When leaders think that it's up to them to solve people's problems then they are the lid. The Savior is the only one that doesn't have a lid. 20:40 As leaders we have to point people to the Savior. Oftentimes we point people to the mechanism or the vehicle that is going to help them heal. Things like: prayer, scriptures, and the temple. It's not actually those things that bring healing. It's Him that is going to heal not the vehicle. We do all those things to hear Him. 22:30 Talk to God about your problems; only He can solve them. It's not the job of the leader to solve problems. Leaders are to point people to the Savior in order to receive His power and grace. 25:00 People oftentimes know the answer to their problems but they just need someone to talk to and someone to support and lift them. Leaders can ask questions like: What promptings have you received? How do you think you can solve this problem? 26:40 Besides pointing people to the Savior, it's important to develop our personal effectiveness as leaders. Dustin shares some ways that we can do this. 31:00 Dustin shares some examples of how he, as a stake president with his high council, have tried to develop their personal effectiveness and raise the lid in their stake....

'Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest' (Hebrews 3:1, NIV). What a wonderful way to start! I would challenge you – FIX YOUR THOUGHTS ON JESUS! He is the Beginning, the Ending – He's Everything! To us as Christians, it's not religious observance, it's Jesus, the Son of God! It's Him we relate to! Jesus, ‘the Apostle and High Priest whom we confess'! An Apostle – the Chief of all Apostles – because He was sent by God to accomplish an important mission on God's behalf. And in v2, it says, Jesus ‘was faithful to the One who appointed Him'. Jesus came as one appointed by God to be His Apostle or Ambassador and to be High Priest on behalf of the people; and, like Moses, He was faithful ‘in all God's House'. I see something very similar here between Moses and Jesus. Like Moses, Jesus was called by God to take us, out of ‘Egypt', out of this world of sin, and bring us, through the years, to the Coming Kingdom. 

“But if you're treated badly for good behavior and continue in spite of it to be a good servant, that is what counts with God,” (1st Peter 2.20). Our service to God is ultimately for God alone. We play to an audience of One. It's Him we must please. Him alone. Those who make it their ambition to please men fall into a trap. “The fear of man brings a snare, But whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe,” (Proverbs 29.25). People pleasers can never perform to the level of people's expectations and are left disappointed and bitter. Your service to God stands alone without regard for human approval.

In this edition of It's Him & I, AquemiZeit, Miles and DJ Danl discuss F1 racing news, the word-y on Jennette McCurdy, the Biden Boom, CPAC 2022, Kyrsten Sinema agreeing to a Climate and Tax deal, and "unliking" Johnny DeppSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

FILM FORMALLY is back! This month, friend of the podcast Sophy Romvari's films are premiering on the CRITERION CHANNEL and to mark the occasion we've recorded a set of commentaries for six of these films - NINE BEHIND, IT'S HIM, PUMPKIN MOVIE, NORMAN NORMAN, IN DOG YEARS, and STILL PROCESSING. To listen along, have the film ready to go and hit “play” when prompted within the episode after the introductions. Please note that, due to sync necessities, there are a few gaps in the episode's discussion: we've filled with with snippets of Will's original score for the film. STILL PROCESSING (2020) A box of stunning family photos unseen for decades awakens lost memories as they are viewed for the first time on camera. In this episode, we discuss: Hybrid documentary and fictional elements. Still Processing's long production and post-production schedule. Photographic storyboards. Audience expectations and documentaries about grief. Composing the score. What did we learn? Sophy's films can be seen on the CRITERION CHANNEL - feel free to sign up for a free trial if you aren't a member.

FILM FORMALLY is back! This month, friend of the podcast Sophy Romvari's films are premiering on the CRITERION CHANNEL and to mark the occasion we've recorded a set of commentaries for six of these films - NINE BEHIND, IT'S HIM, PUMPKIN MOVIE, NORMAN NORMAN, IN DOG YEARS, and STILL PROCESSING. We'll be releasing one per week for the next six weeks. To listen along, have the film ready to go and hit “play” when prompted within the episode after the introductions. IN DOG YEARS (2019) Old dogs are celebrated in ten short stories about love, loss, and letting go. In this episode, we discuss: Why the CBC hired Sophy to make a dog documentary. Cinemascope as a canine-friendly aspect ratio. A talking head documentary without talking heads. Documentary structure. Will and Sophy's correspondence editing style. Sophy's films can be seen on the CRITERION CHANNEL - feel free to sign up for a free trial if you aren't a member.

FILM FORMALLY is back! This month, friend of the podcast Sophy Romvari's films are premiering on the CRITERION CHANNEL and to mark the occasion we've recorded a set of commentaries for six of these films - NINE BEHIND, IT'S HIM, PUMPKIN MOVIE, NORMAN NORMAN, IN DOG YEARS, and STILL PROCESSING. We'll be releasing one per week for the next six weeks. To listen along, have the film ready to go and hit “play” when prompted within the episode after the introductions. NORMAN NORMAN (2018) A young woman grapples with the declining health of her beloved dog in this film about mortality, cloning, and Barbra Streisand. In this episode, we discuss: Creative “Labour” and filmmaking. Cross-country collaboration. Norman's TIFF pass. Conceptual cinema. The opportunities afforded by non-traditional modes of production. Sophy's films can be seen on the CRITERION CHANNEL - feel free to sign up for a free trial if you aren't a member.

FILM FORMALLY is back! This month, friend of the podcast Sophy Romvari's films are premiering on the CRITERION CHANNEL and to mark the occasion we've recorded a set of commentaries for six of these films - NINE BEHIND, IT'S HIM, PUMPKIN MOVIE, NORMAN NORMAN, IN DOG YEARS, and STILL PROCESSING. We'll be releasing one per week for the next six weeks. To listen along, have the film ready to go and hit “play” when prompted within the episode after the introductions. PUMPKIN MOVIE (2017) Two women trade stories of misogyny while carving pumpkins over Skype as part of a Halloween tradition. In this episode, we discuss: The film's extremely truncated pre-production and production timelines. Ultra low-budget filmmaking and unconventional production methods. Structuring 45-minute conversations with editing. Documentary, fiction, and the way that PUMPKIN MOVIE inadvertently became a hybrid of the two. Sophy's films can be seen on the CRITERION CHANNEL - feel free to sign up for a free trial if you aren't a member.

FILM FORMALLY is back! This month, friend of the podcast Sophy Romvari's films are premiering on the CRITERION CHANNEL and to mark the occasion we've recorded a set of commentaries for six of these films - NINE BEHIND, IT'S HIM, PUMPKIN MOVIE, NORMAN NORMAN, IN DOG YEARS, and STILL PROCESSING. We'll be releasing one per week for the next six weeks. To listen along, have the film ready to go and hit “play” when prompted within the episode after the introductions. IT'S HIM (2016) An unexpected encounter during an afternoon at the cinema catapults a young woman into a confrontation with her own grief. In this episode, we discuss: Creative geography. The learning process of collaboration. Working with actors on an indie budget. Remastering NINE BEHIND and IT'S HIM. Restructuring IT'S HIM in post-production. The transition from the relatively large production of IT'S HIM to the stripped-down minimalism of PUMPKIN MOVIE.  

FILM FORMALLY is back! This month, friend of the podcast Sophy Romvari's films are premiering on the CRITERION CHANNEL and to mark the occasion we've recorded a set of commentaries for six of these films - NINE BEHIND, IT'S HIM, PUMPKIN MOVIE, NORMAN NORMAN, IN DOG YEARS, and STILL PROCESSING. We'll be releasing one per week for the next six weeks. To listen along, have the film ready to go and hit “play” when prompted within the episode after the introductions. NINE BEHIND (2016) Calling her grandfather in Budapest to learn about the Hungarian film industry, a woman instead finds the conversation shifting to her family's history. In this episode, we discuss: Sophy's early works leading up to NINE BEHIND. The influences and production of NINE BEHIND. The lessons learned on this set and how they informed Sophy's next film, IT'S HIM.

This week Stephanie and Travis are joined by Corinna Vega aka Bronx Bonita and Lu aka It's Him. Corinna is a model, salsa dancer, and content creator. Lu is a stand up comedian and good friend of Travis. Together they discuss friendships. What are the differences between male and female friendships? Do our platonic friendships impact our readiness for intimate relationships? Do we pour love into our friends? Corinna and Lu are the first guests to help in an ‘Oh So Y'all Can Relate' segment. This submission touches on a seemingly perfect couple, yet one partner wants more. While diving into finances, drive, accomplishments, and values, Stephanie, Travis, and their guests get personal and keep it real. Where do we draw the line when our passion doesn't allow us to pour enough into our responsibilities?  How can identifying what influences our ideals help us check our expectations? How do we know what we truly value versus what society has led us to desire? Or are those the same things?

Ben and J discuss: school accolades, Ben's worst date, fun and miserable GMA stories, awkward college orientation experiences, a friend breakup, “Natural Helpers”, our future predictions on Star Wars Show Notes:  Linville Gorge - https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/nfsnc/recarea/?recid=48974  The Book of Boba Fett - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Book_of_Boba_Fett  All Jedi are Evil SCB Vid - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUrWyPJqeSk  Support the Show and Vote for Host: https://www.patreon.com/popcornculture  Get your own GMA stickers: https://store.dftba.com/products/gma-stickers  Get Your Bingo Card: https://bingobaker.com#f805834af83dce50    Email the show: popcornculturepod@gmail.com  Discuss the Podcast on Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/PopcornCulture/  Follow the Show on Twitter: https://twitter.com/apopcast  Follow SCB on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carlinbrothers/  Follow SCB on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@super_carlin_brothers Discuss the Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHfIbq9thHPC8yrKjAdJgDA  Alternate Titles:  All Fun Stories Include Misery Lemme Guess, Breakfast? It's Not You, It's Him! 8th Grade Game of Thrones The Sheer Glacial Passing of Time Cohesion Be Awesome 

Ephesians 2:8-10 ESV GOD has saved us by HIS grace...not by our works, or by our "goodness". It's HIM and HIM alone that saves us, moves us, and protects us for HIS glory and our good. AMEN --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/erica-brown24/message

Today's word is HIMFor those of you who have joined in on our enlightened word study. You have come to the realization that I end most of these posts with the statement It's Him, It's always Him.After studying 530 words... and dancing through the pages of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation I have never tried to tackle the word, Him... What a massive undertaking!!! I can only ask my Heavenly Father to guide my heart because I can not do this alone.This word study is not the typical study.  Because truthfully my walk with God has been anything but ordinary...  From no religious background and no interest in reading the Bible ... To a Holy Spirit Encounter that rocked my world.. set my heart ablaze and spurred a newfound love of writing...   I hope you join me as I relive our adventure of words.  Where I share my heart, and experience of chasing a love greater than I have ever known.  Let's grow His love each week as I openly share my thoughts, emotions, and heart. http://www.triunelovesme.com Word Study Link https://triunelovesme.blogspot.com/p/words.htmlWords Written and narrated by Lori Garner  Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/lorigarnerq)

Series: Be'erot, Love & Relationship with God. Synopsis: Yitzchak introduces the laughable paradox that there is nothing other than He, and the human perspective, which is He has vacated space for us.   Episode Transcript: I want to continue our exploration of the pathways to love of G-d as we've been exploring throught the vantage point of the unlikely characteristics of Yitzchak Avinu. We have seen, although Avraham is known as the lover of G-d (and that he has many characteristics which are crucial for anyone who is to be a lover of G-d, from which we can learn), Yitzchak Avinu is very present to that relationship to Hakadosh Baruch Hu, too; and although his primary relationship to Him is that of yirah, and the name associated with him is Elokim—which is the name of din—but what we're coming to discover is that actually, were it not for din and Elokim, then there would be no space for love. And what we have seen is that specifically, the withdrawal, or the aspect of din, or gevurah which makes space, or creates an otherness—a room that there should be an other—, it is the crucial transition that allows for love to emerge. So we saw Eleh toldot yitzchak ben avraham, Avraham holid et Yitzchak, the verse which opens up the parshah, which is the primary parshah about Yitzchak, which is that These are the generations of Yitzchak, here they come: Avraham gave birth to Yitzchak. So usually, generations have to do with the progeny that comes out of a person, and yet the Torah says, Eleh toldot yitzchak ben avraham, Avraham holid et Yitzchak, Avraham gives birth to Yitzchak. So how is that the toladah, the progeny, of Yitzchak? So here the catch: We have this beautiful relationship between Avraham, who is the primarily the power of chesed and love of G-d, and Yitzchak, who is the power of withdrawal and making space that Avraham indeed gives birth to Yitzchak. Meaning, that it's because of G-d's desire to give and exalt existence—which is chesed—and to act as a lover, that he gives birth to Yitzchak, who is the power of withdrawal and making space. That's one level. But the other level is Eleh toldot yitzchak ben avraham, that the geneology of allowing for there to be a love which will come into existence, namely Avraham (who gives birth to Yitzchak), requires that there be a Yitzchak; meaning, that in order that there should be Avraham, there needs to be Yitzchak, so that Avraham is, in a sense, a toladah of Yitzchak. Do you hear how this works? I'll put it in a different language. That the withdrawal of G-d and His infinite presence that allows for there to be a space in which there will be creatures of otherness is itself what allows for the appearance of a life-giving and a love-present principal, or characteristic, which is Avraham. Because if there were no lover, then there would be no loving. If there were no space for one to stand against you and apart from you, then there would be no relationship. And so the progeny of Yitzchak, so to speak, is Avraham. He allows Avraham to become revealed. But it's of course Avraham, namely, the motive force of giving life and giving love, who gives birth to Yitzchak. So you see, each one is a going back—each one is providing the other with their reality. There would be no withdrawal if it wasn't that G-d had desired to give and to love. But nor would there be the possibility of give and love were it not that there was withdrawal. So this verse guided us both into the realization that the withdrawal and the empty space is in itself an opportunity for the realization and the experience of love, and that's why it's there. And we did work also with being present to the emptiness and the lack. The vulnerability that that involves, both on the part of Hashem Yitbarach, so to speak, and our part, the ability to hold space, [we?] 6:15 tend to stay in that, enough that there should be an arousal of the desire and the longing for the One who will now come to be with me in that space to realize relationship. So these were some aspects of Yitzchak. And we saw that Yitzchak's primary activity in the world was digging wells, making space, and this can fall into terrible degredation and distortion. The plishtines, who are advantage-taking of that kind of a perspective, they make fun and ridicule of that. Some of where it goes with Esav, that his tiredness and boredom with a meaningless world which G-d had, so to speak, vacated, and the insistence on action and on doing, which becomes Esav's par excelence expression: I'm going out into the field and I'm going to make it happen, I'm going to hunt it down. The way he reflected his father's own consciousness and desire to sanctify that space of being a transition point, in which he asks his father, How do you take ma'aser from the straw; in a sense, his father's realization that indeed he is, in a sense, a straw—he is like a hollow corridor through which things pass but that is at the bottom of it a wellspring of mayim chamim. As opposed to being a mamvoi mfulash, open-ended at both ends, which was the idea of the plishtim. And we also saw at the end of last time that Yitzchak's planting is the first time that zerayim come up again in the Chumash, ever since the very first time they came up in Bereshit. And I'll just remind you of where we were there and then we'll go farther there today, and I want to take a different tactic on how to approach it. The way in which the Chumash describes on the third day of Creation, when G-d creates the plant life, there is the most extraordinary thing; and that is, He creates the grass that it should be mazriah zerah, that it should give seed. And He creates the fruit trees, that they should give off fruit that will have seeds that will make trees like them. The grass didn't have that. So the grass had to make a kal-v'chomer. So the grass said, If the trees, which are big and easy to distinguish one from another, need to reproduce in a way in which they preserve their species, so us, how much more so, kal v'chomer. And so in the following verse, it says that the earth gave forth grass that was mazriah serah l'minahu. That had seeds that made its own species, even though it's not what G-d had ordered. And here, rather than G-d being angry that the earth hadn't produced what He had asked it to produce, in another scene He is, about the trees not tasting like the fruit, etc. (sic) Here, G-d is actually overjoyed. And it says, Yehi chvod hashem l'olam yismach hashem b'maasav. The honor of G-d is forever. He is joyous in His creatures. How is he joyous in His creatures? He is joyous in His creatures because the grass figured it out and understood that He desired specificity of species, that things should be different one from another. He was overjoyed with that. It was the first time that it said that G-d was happy with His creation. Up until then it's been good, He keeps saying "Everything's good." But now he is happy: yismach hashem b'ma'asav. Why? Because the grass had made a kal v'chomer and here [we see it? Unclear because someone is making noise 11:10] so deeply: the grass had an empty space, so to speak, within which to have an awareness of knowing what it was that G-d wants, identifying His will and extending His will into a space that He, so to speak, had vacated, by not telling them what they needed to become, so that they should become what they choose to be. But, here's the thing. What they're choosing to be is exactly what G-d wants. And that gives Him great joy, when they choose to be exactly what G-d wants. That's kal v'chomer. And it's the first Torah she b'al peh. It's the first Oral Law, in the sense of the Oral Law being the creative interraction and expression, it's the first Oral Law expression in the Chumash. It's the first time Chazal say there's a kal v'chomer. Kal v'chomer being like, mamash, that's the one, like everyone knows the kal v'chomer. That's the derech she ha Torah nidreshus (12:16) which most involves human sechel, or understanding, binah, l'hitbonen, to understand something, to contemplate, to draw out its implications. There are thirteen ways in which the Torah is nidreshet. But many of them are not logical. They are just sort of like, principals. But the one which is the logical principal, which means it involves binah, to be mitbonen, to contemplate and to draw out implications, that's kal v'chomer. The first time you have a kal v'chomer is with the grass figuring it out: G-d's very happy. Because here is the most beautiful moment, when his Creation is indeed honoring Him: Yehi yichvod hashem l'olam. But how is His creation honoring Him? That in the space He vacated, His creation seeks Him out. And not only does his creation seek Him out, it knows to align itself with His will. And it's this deep secret, the secret of the vacated space which is indeed not really vacant. Which is the other aspect of Yitzchak and his consciousness, which is a paradox. And don't expect to figure it out, because you can't. But Yitzchak leads a dual life, a dual existence, a dual consciousness. On the one hand, a consciousness of the vacated space in which the calling is for me to become myself expressed and the other, which is there is nothing empty of Him. That this empty space which He has emptied is not empty of Him. I mean, there is no place empty of Him. You can't hold them both, they contradict one another. On the one hand, He has vacated the space so that I should grow. On the other hand, the Zohar says, there is no space vacant of Him, how can you say there is any space vacant of G-d? He's infinite. What does that mean, He vacated space? What are you talking about? He's infinite, His boundaries don't end somewhere, do they? It's ridiculous—of course, He fills every place. Then, if He fills every place, then where am I? Well, you're in the space He vacated. Well, where is that space that He vacated if He fills everything? It's where you are. Me? Yeah, you! Oh, you mean me, okay, fine. Is that to say that there is a space where He is not? Chas v'shalom! Now what do you do? Nothing. You laugh. There's nothing to do. Laughing is what allows us to be in utter amazement without trying to hold with our sechel the contradictory realities. And all you can know is that there is a consciousness which is divine perspective which is there is nothing other than He, and the human perspective, which is He has vacated space for us. And you can know those two things. And we're going to see today, B'ezrat Hashem, how powerfully applicable that is and how crucial that is of both those consciousnesses at once. But the only way to hold them is just to laugh. So, now just to put this back into the story form, when the grass has a kal v'chomer, where is it figuring it out what it is that G-d wants from? By observing G-d and knowing what it is that G-d wants. There's an element there that is not entirely expressed there, that idea, but there's an element there of them knowing G-d's will. This is the deep secret which we might have mentioned of the way we bless the Torah when we make an aliyah to the Torah. So if you've listened, so you know the first bracha before reading the Torah is asher bachar banu mikol ha'amim v'natan lanu et torato, He chose us from among all the peoples and He gave us His Torah. Magnificent. Then when you're done reading the Torah, then you say, asher natan lanu torat emet v'chayeh olam nata b'tocheinu that He gave us the true Torah, and that He planted eternal life within us. Chayei olam nata b'tocheinu. Yichvod hashem l'olam yismach hashem b'maasav. He planted eternal life within us. That is a reference to Torah she b'al peh, to the incredible capacity that we have by our minds, by our hearts, by our being, vibrating with the divine consciousness of knowing what it is that G-d wants, of having that revealed to us. That's the eternal life that He planted within us and it's growing all the time. That's Torah she b'al peh. So when you're finished reading the Torah she b'chtav, okay buddy, now it's time for you to step down from the bimah, and begin to realize through your life and through your awareness what it is that G-d wants, by virtue of the life that He's planted within you. That's why the second place in the Torah that there's someone planting is Yitzchak. He's the one who uses the zeraim, because he lives the vacated space in which there can be a planting, which will bring forth that which G-d has already embedded within the empty space which we experience as empty space—but which is full of His presence. Don't mind me having said something which is totally contradictory because you can just laugh at it, it's okay. There's nothing else to do with it. But we'll see that it has tremendous implications, and one of them is something called mechila. The word in Hebrew, mechila, which means forgiveness, actually comes from the word, chalal, the empty space. Now how those two are related, B"H we're going to see by virtue of a sotry. And it's a story of the end of time when Yitzchak comes forward with all his glory. (19:37) There's a story here on this second sheet. It's brought in the Talmud in the chapter called Rabbi Akiva, and there's reason why it's the chapter called Rabbi Akiva, and why this story would be there, and that is the following. Rabbi Shmuel Bar Nachmani says there is a verse which says, You are our Father, because Avraham we don't know, and Yisrael we don't recognize, but You, G-d, redeem us, l'olam shmecha. Your name is forever. So in the future, G-d's going to come to Avraham saying, Your children have sinned. So Avraham says to Him: Ribbono shel olam, let them be wiped out. Too bad. Start again. You know, I like new beginnings. So You'll have another one. Then maybe I should go to Yaakov. Yaakov had a lot of trouble raising his kids. So maybe You'll have a little more mercy? So I'm going to go to Yaakov. So He goes to Yaakov, and He says, your children have sinned. So Yaakov says, well, let them be wiped out in the glory of Your name. Oh, man, come on, these old people they know nothing, and the youngsters, they don't have any advice to give. I'm going to go to the one in the middle. I'm going to go to Yitzchak. So He goes to Yitzchak, and he says, Yitzchak, your children have sinned. So Yitzchak says, What, my kids, not Your kids? Huh? Come on. When they said, Na'aseh v'nishmah, so You said, Ah! My first born son, now they're not your kids anymore? What happened? And anyway, come on! How much did they sin? How much do they live? Seventy years, come on. You're around forever. Seventy years! So seventy years, and if You take off twenty years, because You said You don't punish them until they're twenty years old, so there's only fifty years left. So let's take a look at those fifty years. First of all, twenty-five of those years are nighttime, right? So, they're sleeping, they're getting ready for bed, they're waking up, they're drowsy, so now there's twenty-five years left. So how about taking away twelve and a half because they have to daven, and eat, and go to the bathroom, so basically, there's only twelve years left in a person's life where they can do anything productive. And anything destructive. So You know what? If You're willing to take them, good. And if not, how about half on me, and half on You? That will leave You with six and a quarter. (22:27) And You know what, if You want to tell me that they're all on me, well, I have sacrificed myself to You. So everyone looks up, and everyone looks at Yitzchak and says, wow. You're our father. You're our father. So Yitzchak says to them, What are you giving me these praises for? Praise G-d. Just look right through me. So they look at—and it's very interesting. Machvey l'hu Yitzchak, hakadosh baruch hu beinayu. Yitzchak shows them G-d with their own eyes. So they all look to G-d and they say, ki atah hashem avinu. You, G-d, are our Father. You are our Redeemer, me'olam shmecha. Your name is forever—very important here—Your name is forever. So Yitzchak becomes the man of mechila. Yitzchak becomes the man who brings about forgiveness. So how is it that he brings about forgiveness? And what does that have to do with his having been on the altar and having sacrificed himself? But you see the depth of this is, that the one who knows the empty space also knows that there is nothing other than Him. Because the person who knows the deep secret of the empty space knows that there really is no empty space. I'll put it like this. Why did G-d need to make an empty space, so to speak? Because He fills all in His infinity. So to say now that He makes an empty space is to contradict the reason you told me He needs to make an empty space. So He is no longer going to be infinite now that He made the empty space? Of course He remains infinite. But only the one who is deeply aware of the lack of His absence, and knows the secret of His having made Himself absent in His deep desire that there should be an other with whom He has relationship, that there should be a name, a name, which means the possibility of calling out another, and calling into expression in the mind and in the reality of another knows that there really hasn't been any vacated space at all. 25:11. Because He is infinite. Which is why He was going to be vacating the space in the first place. Now, don't worry, none of this makes any sense. But that's this consciousness, which is a consciousness which leads to well, then it's all G-d. And this is what the Maharal teaches, he says the most astounding thing. This is the Maharal of Prague, one of the greatest and in consensus teachers of Jewish teaching, became both, I would say, really the root of much of Chassidut, and also the Lithuanian depth thinking, especially in the guise of somone by the name of Yitzchak Hutner and other great teachers of depth teaching. Rav Kook, who enjoys both worlds, also is greatly indebted to the Maharal's teachings. (I just want to put him in a context.) So the Maharal says the following: Ki mitzad Yitzchak umidato ee-efshar she yiyeh hasarah v'hafradah l'yisrael min hashem yitbarach. The truth is, from the side of Yitzchak, of all people, my gosh, Avraham, the big lover, Yaakov, the big compassionater (sic!), no, but it's because of Yitzchak that you can never separate from G-d. Rak yesh lahem deveikut v'chibur l'gamrei el hashem yitbarach. They're completely attached to G-d. Lo shayach b'chet sheyimavdil umarchik et yisrael min hashem yitbarach. It's not chet that can separate us from G-d. Why? Ki mitzad midat yitzchak asher midat hadin because from the vantage point of din of all things, ka'asher yered l'omek hadin when you get to the very depths of din, yesh lilmod zchut. Then what you teach is merit. Or more deeply: Then, what you teach is translucense. You know, like in zchuchit. Something you can see through. That's what you teach when you get to omek hadin. Omek hadin. Because omek hadin, G-d, is exactly what you told me, G-d, when You took me on the altar at the Akeidah. And You said to me, your life is about to disappear, my son. And in that moment I saw, that the truth is that there is absolutely no in-depth independence of my life. It's only You who provides me with it. And therefore I can never justify and lay claim to my life being deserving of being lived. Because as much as I try to claim to my life being deserving of being lived, I'm always going to get back to the point of but He's the One giving you your life. How deserving can you make your life, if He's always the One providing you with it? (Can I say then that he never died and never lived?) We'll get to that in a second and you're right to bring it up. So, I am completely present in that moment to actually in a sense, not being here because all is You, G-d, that's why Yitzchak cannot answer G-d in that moment. He can't answer G-d—what's he going to say to Him? Excuse me, just give me one more breath, I mean I deserve it, I did such good things in the world until now, don't I deserve another breath? Because you earned it? With what did you earn it? It's all from Me. It is all Me. And at that moment, Yitzchak becomes ashes on the altar. And literally, the Rabbis say, when the Jewish people came back from Babylon, and they didn't know exactly where to build the altar in the second Temple. Well, they looked around, sniffed and saw: there was smoke rising from the place of the altar. It was Yitzchak's ashes. Because the very one who knows of the empty space G-d had made also knows that there is nothing other than Him. And the real irony and the real joke, so to speak, is that the one who knows the empty space and knows otherness most deeply also must know most profoundly that he is not here. That all there is is G-d. And what he knows that all there is, is G-d, he also comes to know the depth of din, which is called al korch'cha atah chai. You live by force, which is to say, G-d is wanting you to live. He's wanting you to live in an embodied consciousness which experiences yourself as other and separate. So I'm identifying with G-d's will by making the kal v'chomer. And if I look around and see that He made all these different species, I guess He wants me too. Ta da! Yismach hashem b'maasav. Wonderful. Lichvod hashem l'olam. That's great. That's the honor of G-d, that you are willing to live the separateness of consciousness is longing and in pining away for G-d, for Him, for His sake. And so, it's this astounding and impossible situation and the most blessed one. And that is, the more you become your own separate self, so the farther away you go from your Source in oneness. But should you just reabsorb yourself into the oneness which is your source, then you'll be moving very far away from your source and His will for you that you should become other. You want to hear that again? The farther away you move from the full abnegation and nothingness within G-d, by becoming an expressed self, so the more distant, so to speak, you become from Him, and the more you're just like longing for G-d in this empty prairie of space opened up that you should be able to be your independent entity. And you're crying out for Him and you're longing for Him, and as the Ba'al haTanya describes it, you've become G-d's bride, from the meaning of the word kallah, which is kalta lecha nafshi, my soul thirsts for You, my soul yearns for You, You've become so far away as I've become my own separate self. And then the more your realize in your life the will of G-d, and express it your life as servant to Him, coming to know more deeply what it is that is His will for you, so then the more you begin to touch again, how He lives through you, and how you live in Him. And really, you're nothing more than His expression, which is the the other aspect of kallah, which is kilayon, which means you become completely abnegated. But the more you become completely abnegated, the more you mvatel and there's nothing other than Him, and then cease to do, because there's nothing other than the blissful presence that is Him, then the more far you become from what His intention is for you, which is that you should be separate, yearning for Him and arousing love for Him, and this is the eternal ratzo v'shov, back and forth, which is the life of those who know the place of Yitzchak. But in depth, in omek hadin, that oscillation ceases, and all is known to be G-d. That's why it's Yitzchak who points to G-d at the end of time, and says to Him, it was all Him after all, and then G-d can forgive them, because they have learned the secret of translucence, has been melamed zcut, and has achieved mechila. Which means, opening up the tunnel, and mechila in Hebrew is a tunnel, opening up the tunnel, hollowing it out so that there should be forgiveness in which you'll see, and yes, it's for every single one of us. But every single thing that comes our way is G-d. And every thing you look at is Him, and every single circumstance you're thrown into is His realization. Ever hit a dog with a stick, or threaten one with one? Oh, you're all such nice people. I've seen children do it. And the dogs, they attach the stick, it's the funniest thing. All the dog ever sees is the stick. See, a lot of people walk through life and all they ever see is the stick, so there's this person who's like saying all these nasty things to you and putting you down and betraying you and being really angering. And you start biting at the stick. What are you, a dog? What do you think, there's something other than G-d? Well, wait a minute, didn't you tell me there's not independent entities, and my own life, etc. (sic) yes, it is, but can you hold both those at once? Yes it is, and you know what? If you see a child who's being abused, so that's not the moment to say, That's all G-d and I guess that's what the child is meant to be having done to him—turn your other cheek. Or someone's chasing you down to kill you? Turn your other cheek. No, al korchecha atah chai. G-d has put you into this embodied condition of humanity that you should experience the other and that you should know that that moment now, part of that moment is you in it. So part of that moment is you having seen that child being abused. So now the calling to you is to respond to that. Not to say it's all G-d. And yet, that's to say it's all G-d, because, I'm responding because I'm here with G-d manifesting through me as one called upon now to respond to that circumstance. See, there's foolishess which has come into the world, which is also a descendent of Yitzchak, which is, well, if it's all G-d, then turn the other cheek. Let it just play itself out. I really once had a friend who actually has left yiddishkeit, and I actually saw it all happening. I watched him enter into the consciousness of It's all G-d and all love and that's true, and it is all G-d and it is all love. And therefore it's all just the way it needs to be. So I remember asking Him, What happens if you see someone chasing someone else to kill him? What do you do then? And he really didn't know how to answer me. Because it's all for the best. And it is all for the best. And it's all da'at. He really didn't know how to answer me. So I said to him, It says in the Shulchan Aruch the weirdest thing. It says actually you should kill the person who's trying to kill someone else. For him, that was like a breaking point. Because he didn't want to re-enter the consciousness of, I'm here to be seeing this and to be responding to it. I had this most amazing thing where I was at a bris and oftentimes there's a Rabbi called upon to name the baby. So I'm standing there to be naming the baby and brachot and maybe some of us in the room were there. And it was a cloudy day in Bat Ayin, and the father says to me, vayikarei shmo b'yisrael, and the father says to me, Anan David. Anan David. Cloud of David. So I look at him and I said, No, I'm not going to do it. Now the reason I'm not going to do it is , anyone who knows early Jewish literature knows that Anan David is the nemesis of the Torah she b'al peh. He was the chief Karaite in the time of the Ramban. And the Ramban and other rishonim are full of all kinds of terrible things about Anan David, may his bones be ground to dust. A curse reserved for very few. So this guy is asking me to name his son Anan David. So someone who's holding the baby in front of me is like a hippy guy. Beautiful person who's fully love. He's also learned. He understood what's going on. So I sent the father, I said, you go talk to your wife, you go figure out another name, I'll stand here, the people in the room are standing there, it's okay, someone start a niggun. So he says to me, Rav Daniel, Rav Daniel, maybe this is his tikkun! So totally, I looked at him, I said, if it was his tikkun, I wouldn't be standing here. That was it. (What was his name?) I'm not going to say. But that's holding both. (Is that the coach of bechira?) I'm going to get to questions in a minute. But that's holding both. And that omek hadin can bring forgiveness—it's just so important to come back to that—because that forgiveness comes by virtue of realizing that it's all Him. And that's what Yitzchak says to G-d: It was all You all along. How small do I need to reduce them until you forgive them? Seventy years? Fifty years? Twenty-five years? Twelve and a half? Six and a quarter? How about ashes? And then they all look at Yitzchak and they say: You're our father. And he says, it isn't me! What are you talking about! You don't understand anything. It's Him! It's been Him all along. But he pulls the fast one on G-d Himself, just like he says to them, It's Him! It's been Him all along, to G-d he says, It's You! It's been You all along. What are You going to do, wipe them out al kiddush shmecha? I (sic)never really lived! What are you talking about? What's going on around here? Ah, if they could know they've never really lived, then they have lived. V'atem hadevaikim b'ado-nai chaim kulchem hayom. You who are davek, and as the Maharal teaches us, the ultimate davek is Yitzchak, you who are hadavek in G-d are the only ones who are really alive. So that the only ones who are really alive are the only the ones who know that they are not really alive. It's a joke, huh? Yitzchak. This is why the Rabbis say, you are not allowed to fill your mouth with laughter in this world. Yup, don't think this is going to be easy for you. Here on the other page from the ??tee (45:03) haleitzanut, the Maharal brings a most astounding thing. He tells us the following story. And that is that Rebbe Yochanan, in the name of Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai, said the following: It's osser for a person to fill his mouth with mirth, with schok, schok, schok, ah. Yitzchak. You can't be fully Yitzchak in this world, can you? No. You know how I know? Because it says, az yimalah schok pinu ulshoneinu rinah. It says, then your mouth will be full of schok. And your tongue with rinah. When's that going to be? B'yom she amru bagoyin, higdil ado-nai lasot im eleh When even the goyim get it, that G-d's been great with us. That G-d has been great with them. So, you know what, Reish Lakish, after he heard that, in the name of Rebbe Yochanan, so he never filled his mouth with laughter again. Uhhh. How come? So the Maharal says, You know what? There's no full simchah in this world. That's because this world is a world of always shifting, always growing, always changing, always developing. Never full, never complete, and joy is when things are full and complete. So there is always lack, there is always something which is not. So you'll focus as much as you can on what is, and you should, and that's what tov is, and that's what hakarat hatov is, and that's what connection is about, but we all know, that it's not full, because we live in a land of transition, transformation, aval az, but then, yimale schok pinu. Listen to this, this is unbelievable: ki milat az bal davar she eino tachat hazman. Because the word az refers to that which is not dominated by time. What's not dominated by time? Well, time is continuity. It's a continuum, And az, it teaches about the moment. I'll say that again. Time is continuum and continuity, and az speak of the moment. As I've explained elsewhere, she lekach amru, that's why the Rabbis say, kol makom she omer vayhi everywhere it says and it was, and it came to pass, in the Tanach it's trouble, man, vay, vay, oy very, vayhi, oy vey, mipneh she kol havayah hu shinui, because every coming into reality is shift, and shifting is bad, which is why in Hebrew rauh, which is something shifty and shaky, somes from the word rah. It's shifting, it's changing, it's inconstant. It's going in and out, it's disappearing; give me something solid. The moments of joy, it's just when you experience it as full, here, now. Az is now. Aval milat az teaches the now. Sorry for the pun, but the power of now. Because gevurah is the poiwer of now. Gevurah literally means power, as we're going to see in a moment. Schok. Pinu. Just being overwhelmed with joy to the point of laughter. Because the laughter is the action or the response to the breaking out of the confines. He's no longer confined by the stricture of continuity and continuity. He's just in the now. Nothing more joyous. It's not a secret of ekartol. (40:55) It's a secret of the Maharal. V'lchach, yomar, not even of the Maharal, it's Yitzchak avinu. V'lchach, yomar, az yimale schok pinu, When will their mouth s be full of schok? When will Yitzchak resound in the entirety of creation? Az. You thought that meant "then their mouth will be filled with joy." No. It meant "now." What do you mean, now? Right now? No, we're in olam hazeh. When you're living in the continuum and continuity of time, you're living in olam hazeh, but when you're completely present to now, you're in the only contact point we have with eternity, because the only contact point we have with eternity is, of course, the now, which is eternally present. It's always now. And when you live it's always now, you live joy. You live schok, which is the breakout of confines, expression of simchah. And so he tells us, ze ka'ashe haolam b'shleimut v'lo yihybo shinu she hu shayach l'zman. Aval yiyah haolam, but the entirety of the planet will be, c'mo ha'atah. All of creation will just be the now. That's the world to come. That's az. And here is the deepest thing. This is called in the kabbalah when gevurah goes up to binah. Meaning, az, which is gemtria eight, which is the aleph, or the imah, that is standing above the seven which is the seven midot that are beneath her, when gevurah rises up to there, so then the empty vacuous chalal becomes known as it's all filled with Him. That's when there's great joy. But it's only for those who have experienced and are willing to be in the empty nothing of prodding through life and history, who then discover that it's all been Him always, and nothing ever changed, Which is something I can just say now, but it's a consciousness that is not a consciousness that we're currently in. But it's the right now. Because right now, everything is perfect. This, by the way, the Arizal teaches that the bracha we say in the morning, hanotein l'sechvi vinah, l'havin bein yom u'ven layla means, sechvi is a gever, it's a cock. Sechvi. That's gevurah. He gives. We bless G-d for having given gevurah, the mentality or the consciousness of binah, which is where instead of the empty space being empty it's full of His life, it's rechem, and that has two possibilities and two aspects and their both good. One is the rechem, which is the empty space has now beomce the place of birthing, new life, but on the higher level of binah, when she's actually receiving from abba, when she's actually receiving from chochmah, is that she's not pregnant with life. She is life. It's not waiting for something. It's right here, because there is no time. (So she's pregnant…) One aspect is pregnant, that is there is something waiting to be born at this moment. But the other consciousness is, it's not something waiting to be born at this moment, it's all right here now. Which is the truth of there's something waiting to be born of this moment. Because the truth of there's something waiting to be born of this moment, is that it's right here right now, you just have to open your eyes and you'll see it, buddy. Pokeach ivrim, the next bracha, just open your eyes, L'havchin bein yom uvein layla. Give sechvi gevurah, the power of binah, to distinguish between night and day, to see the daytime that you thought was night. These higher levels of consciousness are really meditatative states which are the blessing of shabbat, which is me'ein olam habah, which is when everything is done, there's nothing left to be done. And ironically, by the teaching of schok of Yitzchak, who because he entered the empty space and became an other and an independent entity, can realize the joy of knowing that there was never anything else but Him. But because the way we are built and constructed, so if you don't live your life fully human, fully as other and fully with all the pain of that and all the longing of that, and all of being the kallah of G-d, as the one who is longing for Him form the empty space, so then you will never become the kallah of G-d, the bride of G-d who is completely absorbed into him as having been completely mitbatel into His being, which is the other meaning of the word kallah. Don't ever think that you can skip stages. You can't walk out on life. You gotta live it fully. If you haven't experienced the pain and the suffering of the emptiness. If you haven't experienced the hurt of another person insulting you, betraying you, walking away from you, if you haven't experienced the longing of not having your mate, not having the one you'll have living (57:38) If you haven't experienced the longing of a life feeling empty of His presence and He's gone, and I'm alone, and it's dark here, if you haven't experienced that, then you will not experience the other realization of az. That's the way He made it. Because only in that longing are we aroused the consciousness of He is here. But if you skip it and you try to ignore it, and you pretend it's all okay, no, everything's fine, and that kid suffering, that's meant for him. And, no it's okay, you know, like I'm fine with it, whatever. And don't pass through the stage of the midot, which are the seven midot of emotional experience, that's the zayin of the word az, if you don't pass through those movements of seven movements, from malchut up to chesed, so you won't arrive at the aleph of the az of binah and chochmah together—which is the way the kabbalah describes it which is that they never separate—of knowing the now. Oh, He was always there, is about the best that we can always say and pronounce it as being. That's the az yimaleh schok pinu. When? Higdil hashem, when even the goyin say, she yomru hagoyim higdil hashem la'asot im eleh, even the goyim, even those consciousness, which are of separateness and otherness and outsideness and even antagonism to the will of G-d. When even they see it. It's talking about us. It's not talking about them, It's talking about us when all those aspects of ourselves which are ego-ic that block this realization, when even they see it, higdil hashem la'asot im eleh, then we enter the place of now and joy. There's a deep sod in this verse. And that deep sod is that the Zohar teaches in the hakdamah, that the word eleh actually comes from the word elokim. You take a look at the word, the aspect of G-d, which creates the space, which allows there to be differentiation and diversity, which is the word eleh, so you'll see, eleh hen, is elokim. So the Zohar teaches that when a person raises up his eyes, su marom einechem, R'u mi barah eleh, the question, mi barah eleh, this and this does this. Because when a person asks the question, mi barah eleh, Who has made these? He is already on his way to filling that space with the presence of Elokim. That's why the first verse Bereshit barah elokim divides into bereshit mi barah eleh. In the beginning, Who, that's her name, mi, barah eleh, Who made all of these. Who? The one of whom you can only speak of by saying who. Mi. And in opening to the question, we actually create the chalal. And then when you create the chalal, and dwell or shoheg in that, like we were practicing last week, and then ask the question, Who? So you're [al?]ready on the move from gevurah up to binah, and that empty space becoming not only pregnant with possibility, which is the next stage, understanding the pregnance of possibility that this moment offers, but then the higher level of knowing that it's all here right now. And there's nothing else but who? (Can you explain again the concept of kallah? I'm not sure I understand it.) I'd love to. (Singing a Chabbad niggun) The concept of the kallah is explained here in the Baal Hatanya, and also in the Sefer Tanya and the Likutei Torah in the following passage here at the beginning of your sheets. The Baal Hatanya explains, as a continuation of what we once learned here, in verse Shir hashirim asher l'shlomo, yishakeini m'nishikot pihu. What is the origin of song? The Song of Songs. The origin of song, of all the songs that are sung, is the oscillation between the consciousness of I am here longing for you, and the higher consciousness of that there is nothing other than you. The oscillation between longing for you, and there's nothing other than you. There's nothing to long for, because you're right here, is the origin of all song. All songs are rooted in that. And it's why they go up and down, up and down. (Singing) No song, unless there's movement of ratzo v'shov. Of the longing and the pining for Him, and the return to Him, and then the leaving Him for the separated consciousness which He has declared for us. And so the Baal Hatanya teaches (1:07:22) hineh noldah she hakadosh baruch hu nikrah hachatan, you know, G-d is the husband, groom, ukneset yisrael nikrah b'shem kalah, and the Jewish people, knesset yisrael, all our souls, as the Jewish souls are the kallah of G-d. And that's because it comes by the name of hamshachah v'hashpatah torah l'yisrael. The Torah comes down as the chatan's giving, as it says, the day he married us was Matan Torah, that's why someone who give joy to a chatan gets Torah. That's the or ein sof, the eternal and infinite light coming down. ukneset yisrael, which is our focus now, us, longing and loving G-d, is the makor of nishmot yisrael, vkein kol nitzotz m'yisrael b'frat hi b'chinat kala every single one of us is a bride to G-d. hineh kalah yesh lah shenei perushim and kalah has two interpretations. Harihon m' lashon kilyon. The first one is from the language of being completely mitbatel, I can't think of a word for it, really like lost, burned up, kilyon, she m'chaleh um'valeh hakol mi lashon kalah. All burned up, as Yonatan explained this, kalah she'eri my flesh is just gone. Ki milat kalah hi shem davar ha moria pula rakah, zakah, dakah, etc. hasheni milashon habet hasheni milashon kalta nafshi, that my soul pines for you, yearns for you, hainu tchukat hanefesh lida b'leiku bi kalah kalah boro yitbarach. The intense desire and longing of the soul to become at one with G-d's light, as it says, v'elishech tchukatech as it says about woman, that she has a desire for her husband. So these are two different aspects of kallah, one is that she's completely dissolved into him, and the other is that she lives separate from him, longing for him. And the truth is we say this in kriyat shema v'hainyan d'hineh b'kiryat shema yesh shtei b'chinot mesirut nefesh you know there's two ways of giving yourself over to G-d. Harishon limsor et nafsho b'echad, when one goes and says to G-d, there's nothing else than You, there's no one else but You, I am completely not, there is no I to be saying "I am completely not." There's only You. The aspect of yachid. Only you. I'm dust. I'm ashes on the altar. And then the second is v'ahavta bchol nafshecha, And you shall love Him with all of your life force. Which you cannot do unless you maintain a presence of your life force. There cannot be a lover unless there is one who loves. Afilu natel et nafshecha. You are willing to give it all up for Him, but you are aware enough of yourself that giving it all up for Him means giving something up. These are two things. And to understand them and to understand how it is that the kriyat shema has us moving down, it seems, from having been completely at one and absorbed in His being, to having separate existence, standing apart from him, longing for Him and giving ourselves over to Him, (1:11:47) achar bechinat mesirut nefesh b'echad she harei v'havaktiv sof parshat netzavim lir? vahavat hashem elokecha ki hu chayecha because after all, it says at the end of parsha netzavim to love G-d because he is your life—that means you experience your life. That means you experience your life. Aval halo mesirat nefesh ul'hashlich hay aminege tchu bitul metziut l'or ein sof mamash, I don't get it. How is it that you start there and then you come down there? Those are the two aspects, and it's the oscillation between them that we've been touching some of today. That produces songs, and that is Shir Hashirim and B"H next time we'll continue into this ma'amar and see how it is that the second is the higher level. But we've already come to know that. That is a G-d who seeks out our love for Him and to express His love for us, Who has actually given to us, what would actually appear to be the lower consciousness so that we can live out His divine purpose. That's yehi hashem l'olam yismach hashem b'maasav. Or, the way Yitzchak Avinu teaches that atah hashem avinu goaleinu meolam shemcha, Your name, meaning your expression outward was always within You, you always had a desire that we should be, it's from within You, Your name, even before there was a world, there was Your name, at one with you. And so when Your name appears in the world, which is us, about which we say, Baruch shem k'vod malchuto l'olam vaed, blessed is your name, and become realized as His name, so then Yitzchak says, well, meolam shmecha, you know G-d, Your name was always. Meaning, even before there was a world, You and Your name are one, and even after there's a world, You and Your name are one. But the world will only know that when all of the goyim know that, whether they be the external goyim or the internal goyim, come to know that and can forgive. And therefore love. And know it all as one. (Can you be more clear the difference between the akeidah, which is I have become ashes, and giving the other cheek.) You're looking for a greater clarity around this forgiveness thing. Does that mean that when I've been slapped, I don't respond? There are levels like that. This is a subject which deserves it's own clarity, maybe; I have some ideas about that. I think that's a really important shifting, knowing that it's all G-d and not biting back at the stick. And yet, also to know how to respond from the human consciousness of responding rightly. It has something to do with shiviti hashem l'negdi tamid, of knowing that it's all G-d, but knowing that l'negdi, the knegdo, that I'm called upon to live a separate consciousness, but I'm also able to know shivyon, that all is equally G-d. B"H we'll speak some of that out and also do some work around that.

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20) 99 Oh, brother, the hour of that Token to be displayed is at hand. We can see it. We know that we're near the end now. We've brought all kind of messages up, to show signs and wonders, and now here we come back for what the Church has got to do. The Token has got to be displayed. “When I see the blood, I will pass over you.” Nothing else would work. It must be the Blood. Now, the Holy Ghost is our Token, from God. 100 As a great theologian, a—a scholar, a Baptist brother, fine man, fine character, when he come to me one time, and he said, “Brother Branham,” he said, “you talking about this Holy Ghost,” he said, “why, that's nothing new.” Said, “We've taught It all along, through the ages.” And I—I said, well, I'll…He said, “We received the Holy Ghost.” 101 I said, “When did you receive It?” 102 He said, “When I believed.” Cause, I knowed that was Baptist theology, that you, when you believe, you receive the Holy Ghost. 103 I said, “Then Paul said, in Acts 19, to a bunch, a group of Baptists, which, a Baptist preacher that had been one of John's converts, was proving by the Bible that Jesus was the Christ.” 104 “When he passed through the upper coast of Ephesus, he find certain disciples, and he said unto them, ‘Have you received the Holy Ghost since you have believed?' They said, ‘We know not whether there be any Holy Ghost.'” Then he asked how they was baptized. And they hadn't been baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ, the sacrificed Lamb. They wasn't identified with Him, at all. They just believed it; like the medicine setting there, and hadn't took it. Paul commanded them to be baptized over again, in the Name of Jesus Christ. 105 And when he did this, then the Token came upon them. They were identified by the works and signs of the Holy Ghost, speaking in tongues through them, and prophesying, and magnifying God. They were identified as—as with their Sacrifice. 106 And the Holy Ghost is our identification. It's what identifies us as Christians. Not our membership in churches, not our understanding of the Bible, not how much you know about the Bible. It's how much you know about the Author, see, how much the Author is living in you. It's your—it's your self gone. You're no more. You reckon yourself dead, and the Token is what lives in you. And It's not your life; It's Him. 107 Paul said, “The life that I now live.” He lived a different life from what he once did. “Is not me, but Christ liveth in me.” There is the identified Token that God required. Identified with our…Identification with our Sacrifice, the Life of our Saviour in us, the Holy Spirit. 108 Oh, what a—what a positive Token! There cannot be any more Token. Oh, my, if you only could catch the—the thought of it. If I had the—the power this morning, with words, to express and place into your soul that's on the in; not your ears, but your soul, and you—you could see the guarantee of It. It—it takes, It makes you so relaxed. 63-0901m - "Token" Rev. William Marrion Branham ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Order your own copy of the Family Altar at http://store.bibleway.org Appreciate what we do? Consider supporting us: https://anchor.fm/ten-thousand-worlds/support --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/ten-thousand-worlds/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ten-thousand-worlds/support

In this ep, Anna and Andrew take a swing at the murderous horror of “It's Him!” then discuss unhealthy romantic relationships, scary medical professionals and Jerry Orbach's eyes. For brand new merch click here: http://tee.pub/lic/bdCk0NATv7o For episode transcriptions click here: https://bit.ly/3n3nDYQ Listen to Scary Stories To Tell On The Pod Ad-Free on Forever Dog Plus: http://foreverdogpodcasts.com/plus FOLLOW ANNA: https://twitter.com/annadrezen https://www.instagram.com/annadrezen FOLLOW ANDREW: https://twitter.com/thatsajellyfish https://www.instagram.com/thatsajellyfish Produced by Tracy Soren Original Theme Music by Chris Ryan Cover Art by Bats Langley SCARY STORIES TO TELL ON THE POD IS A FOREVER DOG PODCAST https://foreverdogpodcasts.com/podcasts/scary-stories-to-tell-on-the-pod/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Based on John chapter 21 verses 1 to 23 Story 35 – Peter and Jesus (PETER) ‘Although I was overjoyed that Jesus' death on that cross hadn't been the end of it all, inside I was feeling uncomfortable. Uncomfortable about all those things I'd said the night before He'd been … murdered. How He'd told us all that we'd desert Him and leave Him, and then how I – Peter the brave – Ha! – had told Him I'd never leave Him even in the face of death.' ‘Of course I'd been really embarrassed when He'd said in front of everyone that before the night was through I was going to deny even knowing Him - three times. I just couldn't believe I'd ever say anything against Him – not after all we'd been through together over these last three years. (P) But the truth was even worse than I could've imagined ‘coz, (sniff) when His enemies arrived to arrest Him and take Him away, I ran for my life. Oh yeah, I followed at a distance and managed to get into the courtyard to see what would happen – trying to prove I wasn't a coward, but then, some of them started to say I was one of Jesus' disciples. I know I should have admitted it, but I was terrified, and I heard myself lying to save my own skin. ‘Me? I'm not one of His disciples, I don't even know the man.' (sniff – deep breath) Three times I said it, each time more emphatic, each time denying that I even knew the One person who really mattered. I even swore an oath that I'd never known Him! And then the cockerel crowed and I remembered what Jesus'd said … that I'd do what I'd just done. So when I heard that sound – the sound of the cockerel crowing – and realised what I'd done, how I'd failed Him when He needed me most, I ran out into the darkness and wept bitter tears – crying as if my heart would break.' ‘And then I had to live with my failure. Jesus was alive, and we were overjoyed that even death couldn't hold Him, but every time we met, I knew - He knew what I'd said and done.' (PAUSE) ‘A little later we went back to Galilee. Jesus wasn't with us then and I wasn't really sure what to do with my time so, as night began to fall, I told those with me, Thomas, Nathanael, James, John and a couple of the others, that I was going out to fish. ‘Coz if there's one thing I do know – it's how to fish! Anyway, the others wanted to come too so we set sail and – not t'put too fine a point on it – we had the worst night's fishing I've ever known. It was a complete disaster – nothing – not a thing. Anyway, the dawn arrived and we headed back to land. It was then that we saw someone on the shore. Well, I say we saw him, we actually heard him before we saw him as he called out to us, ‘Hey, friends, have you caught anything?'' ‘‘No!' we shouted back, not really wanting to talk about how bad our night had been and not knowing it was Jesus speaking to us. Then he called out, ‘Try throwing your net over the right-hand side of the boat, then you'll catch plenty of fish!' Oh right – now this stranger's giving us advice on how to fish. But instead of telling him just what we thought of his idea, we shrugged our shoulders and threw the net over the right-hand side of the boat, like he'd said. (P) Then suddenly, it was nearly pulled out of our hands as it filled with fish! I can remember thinking, ‘What going on?' And then John spoke, He wasn't really holding the net too tightly, he was looking at the shore where the stranger was. ‘It's Him, Peter,' he said. ‘It's the Lord!'' ‘Suddenly it all fell into place. This catch was too big to be by chance; it was a miracle! Anyway, when I realised who it was standing on the shore, I forgot about the fish, tied my jacket around me, jumped into the water and swam to shore.' ‘Now, the net was so full of fish, the other disciples dragged it behind the boat and followed me as we were only about 90 meters out at the time. When they got to shore, they tied off the net on the boat and we all went to find Jesus. Seeing us, He beckoned us over and we saw a charcoal fire...

2020 taught me so much about trusting God. It's Him who holds the future. He has a plan and it will prevail. Join me today as we discuss trusting God in the midst of chaos and I talk about what you can expect from season 2 of The Cross Examination Podcast.  --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/crossexaminationpodcast/support

Today's Guest is Pastor Pearl Mitchell is a dear friend of mine and also a author of two amazing books, her first book is entitled The Best & Worst and her second book is entitled It's Him or Me...both can be found on Amazon.com. Ladies these books will make you never look at another women the same again bc it will make you never judge a women by what you see on the outside again bc you never know her story and how she got where she is today. So sit back and listen to this dynamic woman of God. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sharise-johnson-moore/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/sharise-johnson-moore/support

July 7, 2019 sermon from Pastor Josh Sakis